Microsoft can reliably be counted upon to release fixes to its software on the second Tuesday of every month, and next Tuesday is no exception. According to eSecurity Planet, this month's fix includes three critical fixes, the most severe rating Microsoft has in its security rating system.

As the dog days of summer arrive in Seattle, Microsoft is preparing to issue four security bulletins next Tuesday -- three of them rated "critical," Microsoft's highest ranking.

The good news is there are only four patches, and that two of them fix outstanding zero-day vulnerabilities for which users and administrators have been waiting.